While artists including Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish made bold statements about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the 2026 Grammys, Jelly Roll is keeping quiet — for now.
Jelly Roll (real name Jason DeFord) declined to offer his opinion on the tense climate in the U.S. after collecting three awards at the Sunday, February 1, music awards show, including Best Contemporary Country Album for his record Beautifully Broken.
Reporters asked the singer, 41, backstage in the press room whether he wanted to comment on “what’s going on in the country right now,” to which he responded, “Not really.”
“So, this is the truth, and I’m glad somebody asked because I love talking about this stuff, and people care to hear my opinion, but, so, I can tell you that people shouldn’t care to hear my opinion,” Jelly Roll told reporters.
He continued, “You know, I’m a dumb redneck. Like, I haven’t watched enough. I didn’t have a phone for 18 months.”
Jelly Roll went on to admit, “I’m so disconnected from what’s happening.”
“I grew up in a house of, like, insane pandemonium. Like, I didn’t even know politics were f***ing real until I was in my mid-20s in jail,” the “Son of a Sinner” singer said. “Like, that’s how disconnected [you are] when you grew up in a drug-addict household. You think we, like, had common calls about what’s happening in rural politics? Like, we’re just trying to find a way to survive, man, you know?”
Jelly Roll said that he “does have a lot to say,” however, and would share his views in the coming week.
“I’m going through it the next week, and everybody’s going to hear exactly what I have to say about it in the most loud and clear way I’ve ever spoke in my life. So, I look forward to it,” he added.
As well as Best Contemporary Country Album, Jelly Roll also took home Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen” with Shaboozey and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for featuring on Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah.”
While accepting the award for Best Contemporary Country Album, Jelly Roll became emotional as he gave a shout-out to his wife, Bunnie Xo, with whom he earlier posed on the red carpet at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
“First of all, Jesus, I hear you, and I’m listening. Lord, I am listening. Lord,” he said. “Second of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would have never changed my life without you. I would have ended up dead or in jail. I would have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus. I thank you for that.”
Other stars, including Bad Bunny, spoke out about ICE on stage on Sunday.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say ICE out,” Bunny said on Sunday as he accepted the award for Best Música Urbana Album for Debí Tirar Más Fotos. “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.”
“I want to say to people, I know it’s tough not to hate in these days, and I was thinking we get contaminados — I don’t know how to say that in English,” the singer, real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) continued, referring to the word “contaminated.”
